SANDY, Utah (March 15, 2024) — Bay FC opened the 2025 NWSL season with a 1-1 draw vs. Utah Royals FC on Saturday night at America First Field. After a Utah goal opened the scoring in the 11th minute, Bay FC equalized before the break when Kiki Pickett put an impressive long-distance shot into the back of the net. The club secures a point in its first match with the result, bringing the squad back home to the Bay Area on a positive note ahead of next week’s home opener at PayPal Park.
“I thought we controlled the first 75 minutes of the game,” said Head Coach Albertin Montoya after the match. “Credit to Utah, they made us sweat a little bit there toward the end of the game, but we found a way. That wasn’t necessarily the case at the beginning of last season, and it’s exciting that this is our starting point now.”
Bay FC nearly opened the scoring two minutes after the opening whistle. After defender Caprice Dydasco corralled a giveaway and found midfielder Taylor Huff at the top of the penalty area, the Florida State product let loose an attempt on target but was denied by the goalkeeper. The opportunity set the tone in the early goings, with Bay FC pinning back the Utah side in their own half through the remainder of the opening ten minutes.
Utah’s Bianca St-Georges found the net to open the scoring in the 12th minute. From a pause in play, goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn played a long ball into the opposing half, finding the Canadian in stride behind Bay FC’s backline who put it through with a composed finish. The assist from McGlynn marked just the fourth goalkeeper assist in league history.
Bay FC equalized just before the break, with Kiki Pickett opening her 2024 scoring account. After a service from a free kick was sent away, Joelle Anderson corralled the rebound and played it back to Pickett for a screamer of a strike that went off the left post and into the net. The score marked Pickett’s first since June 8 last season, when she found the net for the opening score vs. Chicago at Wrigley Field.
Pickett’s goal provided momentum for Bay FC coming out of the intermission. Tess Boade came close to a goal of her own in the 53rd minute after Huff found her on the break, but the Colorado native couldn’t meet the ball at the back post before it went out of bounds. Substitutes Karlie Lema and Dorian Bailey nearly punched in a loose ball in the penalty area 15 minutes later just moments after entering the match.
Utah generated some dangerous changes as time ticked down, but stellar defensive work by Bay FC kept the scoreline even. A long-distance effort by Janni Thomsen just skimmed over the bar in the 70th minute, before Jordan Silkowitz got her fingertips to an 88th minute strike by Ally Sentnor that rattled the woodwork before bouncing away from goal.
Bay FC’s squad celebrated a number of milestones in the match. Defender Kelli Hubly, Huff, and Lema each made their club debut, with Huff and Lema also notching their first career pro appearances. Upon entering as a substitute in the 65th minute, Bailey secured her 100th career regular season appearance, becoming just 107th player in league history to reach the century mark in regular season play. Between the sticks, Jordan Silkowitz’s appearance marked her first in NWSL play.
Bay FC’s first home match of the 2024 season is set for next Saturday, March 22 at PayPal Park vs. Racing Louisville FC. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., and the first 13,000 fans in attendance will receive a Bay FC rally towel. Tickets are on sale now and available at BayFC.com/tickets.
Utah Royals FC v Bay FC
March 15, 2025
America First Field, Sandy, Utah
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. PT/5:30 p.m. MT
Weather: 39 degrees, clear
Attendance: 10,624
Discipline
BAY – 35′ Kundananji (caution)
BAY – 45+5′ Pickett (caution)
UTA – 48′ St-Georges (caution)
UTA – 73′ Tejada (caution)
UTA – 82′ Rabano (caution)
BAY – 90+3′ Hill (caution)
Scoring Summary
13′ UTA – St-Georges (McGlynn)
43′ BAY – Pickett (Anderson)
| Goals | 1 | 2 | F |
| Bay FC | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Utah | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Starting XI’s:
Utah Royals FC: McGlynn (GK), Rabano (90+2′ Pogarch), Tejada, Del Fava, Monaghan (C) (34′ Thomsen), Foederer, Zornoza, St-Georges (63′ Solorzano), Sentnor, Fraser (63′ Mozingo), Tanaka
Unused Substitutes: Milazzo, Ream, Clugg, Roque, Nagai
Bay FC: Silkowitz (GK), Anderson, Dahlkemper (C), Hubly (Hocking 65′), Malonson (73′ Hill), Huff, Pickett (86′ Shepherd), Boade (65′ Bailey), Dydasco, Kundananji, Oshoala (66′ Lema)
Unused Substitutes: Lowder, Conti, Moreau, Bebar
